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GeorgiaHB 2962025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Motor vehicles; presentation of a driver's license in a certain electronic format; provisions

Sponsored By: Shaw Blackmon (Republican), John Corbett (Republican), Houston Gaines (Republican), Scott Hilton (Republican), Trey Kelley (Republican), Marcus Wiedower (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Motor VehiclesPublic SafetyGeneral Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.

Businesses can split qualifying vehicle title taxes

Qualifying vehicle title applicants pay 50% of the title tax at filing and the remaining 50% within 12 months. Eligible charter buses and motor coaches must carry more than 15 passengers and transport people for pay. Special modified rental vehicles also qualify when significantly modified at an owner-operated Georgia manufacturing facility. Their owners must mainly rent or lease them without drivers to businesses in transactions subject to Georgia state and local sales and use taxes. Owners must submit an affidavit confirming the rental vehicle meets these requirements. This delays payment but does not lower the total tax.

Lifetime sportsman licenses require Georgia residency proof

To get a resident lifetime sportsman’s license, Georgia must be your permanent home for at least three consecutive months immediately beforehand. You must show a current physical Georgia driver’s license or an official Georgia identification card from Driver Services. Licenses or identification cards issued under Code Section 40-5-21.1 do not count as residency proof.

Stricter identification checks for outdoor licenses

Hunting, fishing, and trapping license agents must check a physical driver’s license or equally reliable identification showing identity, current residence, and age. Approved phone and internet sales are exempt. Agents can lose sales authority for intentionally or negligently issuing resident licenses to nonresidents or underage buyers. Withdrawal requires 10 days’ prior written notice and a hearing in the agent’s home county.

Voters must show physical driver’s licenses

If you use a Georgia driver’s license as identification at a polling place, you must show the physical card. An electronic license does not count. Other approved forms of voter identification remain available.

Drivers gain digital options with identity limits

Drivers must possess a license while driving; officers with verification equipment must accept an officially issued electronic license. Drivers showing an electronic license cannot be forced under this rule to show the physical card or surrender their device. Showing it does not give consent to a device search, and physical-card users cannot be forced to show an electronic version. All Georgia law enforcement officers must get verification equipment by July 1, 2027; no funding amount is specified. Validated issuance, renewal, or reinstatement receipts can satisfy license possession, but cannot prove identity for voting or alcohol purchases. A physical-license display violation carries a fine of up to $10 when the driver later produces a valid license in court.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Shaw Blackmon

    Republican • House

  • John Corbett

    Republican • House

  • Houston Gaines

    Republican • House

  • Scott Hilton

    Republican • House

  • Trey Kelley

    Republican • House

  • Marcus Wiedower

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Randy Robertson

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 432 • No: 64

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

PASSAGE AS AMENDED

Yes: 51 • No: 3 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #2 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 46TH

Yes: 13 • No: 39 • Other: 3

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 42ND

Yes: 51 • No: 2 • Other: 2

House vote • 4/4/2025

Agree to Senate Amendment

Yes: 163 • No: 3 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/3/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 154 • No: 17 • Other: 6

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective Date

    7/1/2025

  2. House Date Signed by Governor

    5/14/2025House

  3. Act 256

    5/14/2025

  4. House Sent to Governor

    4/10/2025House

  5. Senate Taken from Table

    4/4/2025Senate

  6. Senate Third Read

    4/4/2025Senate

  7. Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended

    4/4/2025Senate

  8. House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

    4/4/2025House

  9. Senate Tabled

    4/2/2025Senate

  10. Senate Read Second Time

    3/13/2025Senate

  11. Senate Committee Favorably Reported

    3/11/2025Senate

  12. Senate Read and Referred

    3/4/2025Senate

  13. House Third Readers

    3/3/2025House

  14. House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

    3/3/2025House

  15. House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    2/26/2025House

  16. House Withdrawn, Recommitted

    2/24/2025House

  17. House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

    2/11/2025House

  18. House Second Readers

    2/10/2025House

  19. House First Readers

    2/6/2025House

  20. House Hopper

    2/5/2025House

Bill Text

  • HB 296/AP* (v12)

    PDF

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